A 66-year-old female developed avascular necrosis and infection of the quadriceps femoris muscle after resection of a malignant tumor in the thigh, resulting in a severe soft-tissue defect measuring 200×50 mm on the front of the thigh. Reconstructive surgery was performed using a free latissimus dorsi musculocutaneous flap approximately two months after the resection. We used the deep inferior epigastric artery as a recipient vessel because no appropriate local recipient vessels were available due to marked adhesion. The concomitant deep inferior epigastric perforator flap was used to cover the site of vascular anastomosis between the deep inferior epigastric artery and the latissimus dorsi musculocutaneous flap. The clinical course after reconstruction was satisfactory, and there was no evidence of recurrence of infection during the 2 years of follow-up.
Free latissimus dorsi musculocutaneous flaps using the deep inferior epigastric artery as a recipient vessel are an effective option for reconstruction of severe soft-tissue defects in the thigh.
